American Society

Social class, generally described as a combination of wealth, education , income and occupational prestige, is one of the greatest cultural influences in America. Nearly all cultural aspects of mundane interactions and consumer behavior in the US are guided by a person's location within the country's social structure.

Distinct lifestyles, consumption patterns and values are associated with different classes.

Elites

Those at the very top of the economic and/or social ladder engage in conspicuous leisure as well as conspicuous consumption.

Upper-middle-class

Persons commonly identify education and being cultured as prime values. Persons in this particular social class tend to speak in a more direct manner that projects authority, knowledge and thus credibility.

Middle-class

Individuals in this class general value expanding one's horizon, partially because they are more educated and can afford greater leisure and travels.

Working-class

Individuals take great pride in doing what they consider to be "real work," and keep very close-knit kin networks that serve as a safeguard against frequent economic instability.

In General

In the United States occupation is one of the prime factors of social class and is closely linked to an individual's identity.

Working-class Americans as well as many of those in the middle class may also face occupation alienation. In contrast to upper-middle-class professionals who are mostly hired to conceptualize, supervise and share their thoughts, many Americans enjoy only a little autonomy or creative latitude in the workplace.

American government

is a massive secular organization, which welds enormous power with little accountablity to anyone.

American military

is a massive well disciplined organization, which has enormous power with accountablity to a very small number of people.